This is one of the reasons I liked the 2009 series over the 2003 series. The chimera story was done in a single episode what it took several in the 2003 series to tell.
Congratulations! You’ve made it through the most notorious difficult episode of anime for reactors to watch, it’s a rite of passage. This is a very important episode.
Literally. I remember reading this in the manga and just needing to put the book down after this and sit after this. Brotherhood did a great job brining it to life albeit still so so hard to get through 😅
I feel obligated to coment this on reactions to this episode: In the manga, the guy who kills Shou Tucker and Nina at the end walks away saying "God hear me... Two souls have been returned to you". He doesn't say "human souls" like in the anime. This difference makes it possible that he is referring to Nina and Alexander instead of Nina and Shou Tucker. Another detail that helps back up that possibility is that, in the manga, the author puts at the end of an chapter a small doodle of every person who died on that chapter (no matter who) with angel wings flying up to heaven, even if they are bad and/or villains. In this specific case she draws Nina and Alexander flying up while Shou Tucker is falling down to hell. His is the only death that gets a doodle like that in the entire manga.
Thank you 4 your service, this is often something that needs to be said, since most reactors watch the dub(as great as the dub is), some creative liberties should not have been taken
Adding to this. It is just the English Dub of the anime (not sure about other languages) where Scar says Human souls. The original Japanese Dub has the same dialogue as in the original source i.e. manga.
About the 'shining glasses'. This is a common trope in anime/manga. Similar to rays of light obfuscating part of a picture, its used to show that a character is hiding something about themselves by literally blocking 'the windows to the soul'.
Shou Tucker couldn’t learn from his mistake because he never made a mistake in the first place. His first chimera, he got rid of a woman who wanted to leave him and passed his state alchemist certification so in his own eyes he killed 2 birds with one stone.
Exactly. The most evil person isn’t someone who is unaware of the harm they’re doing; it’s someone who knows exactly how much harm they stand to cause and choose to do it anyway.
Did you see her react to the last episodes of Battlestar Galactica? The death of Duala was especially painful, Angela actually turned to the camera off if I remember correctly.
ONE OF US! ONE OF US! Congratulations, you're now committed to the series. This is arguably the hardest episodes to get through and cements the tone for the series. You're going to get emotionally beat up a great deal. It will be worth it in the end though, promise.
Episode 3 is about the extremes of religion. Episode 4 is about the extremes of science. Also, Shou Tucker is considered the most hated character in all anime history, no other existent villain could generate so much disgust and rage than him.
It's interesting that you note that alchemy is more like science than magic because, it IS. Alchemy, the stuff that was done in the real world, is/was basically just, chemistry, but in medieval times. So yes, it IS rooted in science because it is a kind of science. They just take a biiit more of a fantastical approach here, but their alchemy is still rooted in science to some degree (Freezer using science to turn water into ice or steam, Mustang's flame alchemy has some chemical processes behind it, the whole 'not being able to make something from nothing')
If we look at the etymology in short. We have the Sanskrit word 'Kimaya'. Greek has the word 'Khemia'. Arabic got the word Al-Kimiya from where we got the middle English word Alchemy and later Chemistry.
In the words of Ian Malcolm, "You were so focused on asking if you could do it you never stopped to think if you should." While it is important to teach children that they can do what they set their mind to, it is equally important to learn that science can do anything. Any discovery can be turned to destruction.
There is never a time when this episode doesn't hurt. The deep morality this show addresses and how it can deeply affect you emotionally so many times over is what makes it feel so special. Sometimes you will be horrified. Sometimes uplifted. It will take you through the whole gamut of human emotions and does such an amazing job tying every single thing together by the end.
This show can definitely be very uplifting at times, but also very dark sometimes. This is one of if not the darkest though for sure, it's like they put this one really early just to test the watcher lol
If you thought last episode was a condemnation of religion then this episode would be a condemnation of science, or maybe it doesn't matter what you believe, maybe it's about using belief to justify harming others.
@@gazzamanazza4pm 100% this. Fanaticism in any form can lead to very dark outcomes. I love that the moral is don't sacrifice your humanity for the sake of anything.
Ok, let me say THIS is the episode that I had warned you about in the comment section of episode 1. Clear your head, take a walk. Once past this you will be WELL rewarded from the rest of the anime. Little bit of history, this series came out in 2009. At 15 years ago willing to push a true dark episode in a "cartoon", turned off a lot of possible viewers. Anime viewers knew better that the demographic wasn't for kids or at least the culture behind anime. BTW, this is a very uplifting series - it is just a slow burn.
I feel like FMAB over-foreshadows Tucker's villainy (good job picking up the most notorious stereotype in anime - the shiny glasses villain). FMA 2003 spaced the Tucker plotline out, giving you more time with the family and making the conclusion much more devastating. But, FMAB makes the Cornello/Tucker episodes back-to-back, which is important for the series thematically - it's not going to be just a "religion bad, yay science" kind of story.
You have now been initiated. There are many trials still ahead, but this is the first. In the manga, after Al stops Ed from punching Tucker, Al then threatens Tucker to keep quiet, or HE'LL punch him.
You can see where her soul starts to break at 13:50. 😭 I remember the first time I watched this episode, I went into this anime completely blind, (as one should) and my friend who introduced me to it thought it a fitting turnaround for me introducing her to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (especially season 6, iykyk)
I think part of the slow burn of the episode afterward is thinking back on the fun and lighthearted scenes with Nina and Alexander as a way to forget the bad, but being reminded of Nina and Alexander's fate.
From the moment you started watching this show, this was the episode we were all nervous about for you. Collectively we were all thinking, “oh no… she’s not gonna be ok”. The good news is, plenty of the room on the “This show crushed my soul” bench. ❤
5:55 the short version is all alchemy has a cost, thus the equivalent exchange bit, then it breaks things down and remakes it in the shape of what you want. The stone is like a cheat code, it pays the cost associated so you don't have to have equivalent exchange in the equation and can get more from less/nothing. What we have seen so far, the small stones (fake or whatever) appear to have a limit and when they break the remaining cost of a transmutation still has to come from somewhere, thus the rebound on Cornello for instance. About all I can really say without spoilers, this is all they have said so far.
I remember getting my dad to anime as he had watched some fma when it aired on tv. The dude was hooked on fma brotherhood and he still talks about this episode whenever he watches something awful happen in newer animes. He is 60years old if anyone is interested
I was both anticipating and dreading your watching this episode. It's pretty much universally agreed upon that this episode is the Rubicon/watershed-moment for prospective reactors~reviewers. If they can successfully navigate it (( i.e. get through it and not only 'keep it together' but also resolve to keep watching.... )) then they've crossed the proverbial Rubicon... ...Welcome to FMAB Family! We the most delicious quiches and apple 🥧 😋😅😀
Congratulations, you've made it past one of the most infamous moments in all of anime. A few years ago on social media, there was a picture from a coffee shop that was apparently run by an anime fan. They had a drawing board where they could list their menu. For their combo section, they drew a picture of Nina and Alexander on the side. It made me cackle in the best, darkest way... And to think, this is only Episode 4. You're going to go through a year's worth of tissues by the time you're done. Edit: And trust me when I say: This is _absolutely_ an uplifting show. The greatest rises have to come from the darkest depths...
It's interesting how quickly you clicked that he used a human for the chimera, also this is one of the most difficult episode to get through both in the original and brotherhood.
Incidentally, in the manga, there are funny little gag comics at the end of each issue, including an 'In Memoriam' section showing all the characters who died that volume flying up to the sky. Shou Tucker is the only character shown in Hell, and considering some of the other villains we see, that is saying something.
keeping up the small touches lost from manga: in the manga, after Al saves Tucker from being killed by Ed, when Tucker starts gloating again, Al warns him that if he doesn't shut up, next time it will be not Ed but Al he has to worry about.
I feel like I have to say this cuz I haven't seen the comment but at the end after scar kills shou Tucker, he doesn't say in the manga" two human souls" he says Two Souls have been returned to you because it actually shows Nina and Alexander going up to heaven and shou Tucker being dragged down to Hell by many different arms
I can't recall if in the manga, Skarr said if two human souls will go to heaven but rather two souls will go to heaven referring to Nina and Alexander, and not the dad.
A chimera by its real life definition is "An organism, organ, or part consisting of two or more tissues of different genetic composition, produced as a result of organ transplant, grafting, or genetic engineering." The traditional mythological chimera is a monster that is made up of different animals, sometimes with multiple heads, sometimes with different head/body/tail. Commonly it's lion, goat, and serpent. As for how many people saw it coming, I think it's a lot more heavily foreshadowed in Brotherhood than in the 2003 anime, but also this was condensed to a single episode where the 2003 version was spread across 3-4 episodes, so it was a much slower reveal. I think most people who didn't watch the 2003 one knew something was up and are able to piece it together. Those that did watch it already knew it was coming, which is why I think they shortened it instead of drawing it out like in the earlier. The good news is that this is as dark as the show gets, at least at such a personal level, so if you can make it through this, you can make it through the rest. There's plenty of other dark moments, don't get me wrong, but in terms of making the viewer feel extremely uncomfortable, this is as dark as it gets.
I don't even watch FMA, but I know this episode and what goes down purely through memes, lol. The second I saw that thumbnail I was like "Oh god, this sweet lady's gonna be messed up for the rest of the week."
Not so fun fact, in the "original" anime we know them for multiple episodes around maybe 3? So more time with them and it's a slower burn. So the gut punch is a little more harsher.
imo you can't really say you've started watching FMA or FMA Brotherhood until you get to this episode in either. The first of many "milestone" episodes.
Dude with the X scar across his face always reminds me of Racer X = Speed Racers Older Brother. But his episode hit me hard just as it did you and many others and we all sought the same Justice that X delivered.
Episode 3 and 4 are two episodes that really hammer home what the extremes of science and faith can do and how they are really two sides of the same coin. While FMAB honors the manga closely at least for this episode and the Lior episodes pack a bigger punch in the 03 FMA show as you spend more time focused on the people of Lior and how the priest exploits their faith and on how people like Tucker go to extremes in the name of science.
There's anime out there that is definitely not for children like Akira, Paprika, Grave of the Fireflies or Ghost in the Shell, among many others. I hope more people would know that, cause there are amazing stories in anime format that many people completely miss cause they assume it's all for kids. Luckily now you know that anime can be as joyful or traumatizing as live action stuff can be :D
FMAB 4 always hits hard. Never stops hurting. {{{{HUG}}}} FYI, Angela, whenever an anime character has the shiny reflection on their glasses, it's a sign that they are up to no good. It's a common anime trope, so you are right on the money. :)
A general rule in anime. If the eyes are big, the character is generally innocent. If the eyes are narrow, the character is generally more experienced and morally grey. If the eyes are shut or always obscured, the character is generally a villain. This is not an absolute rule, but it is more often than not correct.
The first time I read the manga (comic book) version of this episode, I was about 13 years old. It definitely haunted me. This never fails to make me cry.
Having watched this series multiple times, and having seen many of your reactions, I was concerned this episode might just break you. This is definitely an emotional episode.
This episode is great, but there is one thing I always wished they kept from the manga. After Al stops Ed from beating Tucker, Tucker starts to say something. Al then snaps back to the effect of, “One more word out of you, and *I’LL* be the one to shut you up!” It’s one thing to see Ed get pissed off and go off on Tucker. But to see that Al, the sweeter, more innocent and level headed younger brother, was barely containing his own rage, is really powerful.
0:00 I didn't watch much of Brotherhood, but I watched all of the previous series. As soon as I saw the dog in the thumbnail I knew what this was going to be.
I recommend researching the history of alchemy and how FMAB used historical influences, its deep world building and some great connections, Von Hohenhiem comes from the real Alchemist Philipus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus Von Hohenhiem who introduced the concept of Humunculus and is known as the Father of Toxicology
Oh this is the big one. I've had so many debates about why Tucker did what he did. All of them paint him as a coward and a liar who couldn't even change as a scientist let alone an alchemist.
This episode is the most complete definition of what a Monster is. Also a perfect use of word-smithing for his name- Shou Tucker (Shallow & Shrouded - Tucked Away … in hiding) 🤔
I just watched 3 other reaction channels go through this entire series. I must say...I think at a certain point, you need to do multiple episodes. Otherwise, you're going to just be left on a LOT of cliff hangers. Excited to go on this journey for a 4th time this month though! lol. Enjoy!
Some rough translation suggests that it was an "imperfect philosopher stone" it has power, but its less than a fraction of what the actual thing can do.
On my end i watched the older anime that ended off with the movie "Star of Milos" and this episode was a 2 parter. Part of the reason for that was that they kind of had to do filler content so they didnt outpace the manga series that was unfinished at the time - they caught up anyway and ended up doing things completely differently but thats a story for another day. Back then this was a gut punch doubled. Shau wasnt really shown as evil or shady nearly as much as here, so it came as a shock, even with the foreshadowing of his wife and the previous chimera.
You know, there aren't many things more special than the bond between a human and their dog, don't you think? I mean, look at these two! You could say that they're inseparable!
I need yor reactions of 2 episodes in a row. I cannot wait for you to react to the next episode of FMAB 😭. I love how geniuine you are with all your reactions
This show has the uplifting elements to it, but unlike others it makes you work for them. Like Battlestar Galactica the misery and darkness the show explores makes those triumphant moments all the sweeter
Watching the wallpaper slowly peel away until you realize what this guy does is really fun to watch. But also so, so sad. Because there are few characters in anime that would do something so utterly wicked.
In the first FMA Anime, an entire end credits was dedicated to nina and alexander In the manga, a panel shows nina going to heaven and Shou was sinking in hell PS: the actor who played live action Scar is the same actor that played Live action Zoro of One Piece
I think in Anime when you can't see through a character's glasses, it's like a bald head on a a guy in a superhero movie. If he's not evil he's a red herring...
Originally, 'Chimera' referred to a particular monster from Greek mythology that was a lion with a goat's head growing out of its back or shoulders and a snake for a tail. Variants of the Chimera would be used as monsters through games of the ages, from D&D to Final Fantasy. There are many Chimera-like similar monsters from Greek and other myths, such as the griffin (Lion's body, eagle's head and wings), Manticore (Lion body--yes, the Greeks loved starting with a lion body--man's face, and scorpion's tail), and Japan even has myths about similar creatures like the Nue (noo-ay), an ape with a snake for a tail. later years have seen 'Chimera' become a blanket term for all creatures of this sort that are a mix of two or more other creatures in fantasy settings. Hiromu Arakawa, herself a fan of fantasy games and stories, took it for use with these creatures created with alchemy as we naturally have no other real words in our language for such extreme hybrid creations
On behalf of the FMA community, welcome to the fanbase. You're officially one of us now that you know the pain of episode 4.
This is one of the reasons I liked the 2009 series over the 2003 series. The chimera story was done in a single episode what it took several in the 2003 series to tell.
One of us! One of us!
@@timmooney7528 true. However, they changed too much from the manga.
Yep, it's completely smooth sailing from here on out.
@@timmooney7528 thats why i prefer fma over brotherhood they didnt rush with the story they let it simmer
Congratulations! You’ve made it through the most notorious difficult episode of anime for reactors to watch, it’s a rite of passage. This is a very important episode.
I feel like I needed to stare at a wall after this episode
@@funnylilgalreacts Fear not, that is the correct reaction. lol
Literally. I remember reading this in the manga and just needing to put the book down after this and sit after this. Brotherhood did a great job brining it to life albeit still so so hard to get through 😅
@@funnylilgalreacts
it can literally emotionally Break/Tax anyone whos not ready for it.
It's a hell of an episode. Absolutely devastating.
Scar was justified in going after Shou, I think.
I feel obligated to coment this on reactions to this episode:
In the manga, the guy who kills Shou Tucker and Nina at the end walks away saying "God hear me... Two souls have been returned to you". He doesn't say "human souls" like in the anime. This difference makes it possible that he is referring to Nina and Alexander instead of Nina and Shou Tucker. Another detail that helps back up that possibility is that, in the manga, the author puts at the end of an chapter a small doodle of every person who died on that chapter (no matter who) with angel wings flying up to heaven, even if they are bad and/or villains. In this specific case she draws Nina and Alexander flying up while Shou Tucker is falling down to hell. His is the only death that gets a doodle like that in the entire manga.
And nothing was ever the same again 😭😞
It makes sense as later we learn he has a love of animals and is reported feeding stray animals.
Thank you 4 your service, this is often something that needs to be said, since most reactors watch the dub(as great as the dub is), some creative liberties should not have been taken
Adding to this. It is just the English Dub of the anime (not sure about other languages) where Scar says Human souls. The original Japanese Dub has the same dialogue as in the original source i.e. manga.
@@ssjgoku276 German dub is also just "zwei Seelen", two souls.
For playing such a small role in the series, Shou Tucker has been listed as one of the most hated villains of all time
Welcome to the FMA Trauma Club! Snacks are on the right and tissues are on the left!!
Dont forget to meet with the in house therapist
And don’t forget to get a bear hug from Armstrong ❤😂
Hughes will meet with you later with some pie to cheer you up, hopefully he isn't slowed down by the rain
@@Flipcrash Today would certainly be a terrible day for rain.
I have tissues on both sides. With my therapist next to me as well.
Al: "If you keep this up, he'll die!"
funnylilgal: If he dies, he dies
Which is unusual for her.
@@DaDunge You should have seen her watching the Expanse. She grew in her ways of viewing the fake worlds, and Amos took her for a journey.
The cow goes "moo".
The chicken goes "cluck".
The pig goes "oink".
The cat goes "meow".
The dog goes "Ed...ward".
Too soon 🤣
It's been 15 years, and it's still too soon.
@@Texaboose It's always too soon, but I couldn't resist.
😱
That’s HILARIOUS 🤣🤣💀💀
About the 'shining glasses'.
This is a common trope in anime/manga. Similar to rays of light obfuscating part of a picture, its used to show that a character is hiding something about themselves by literally blocking 'the windows to the soul'.
I wish this episode on NO ONE, but will always rush to watch ANYONE who reacts to it. 😂
But it's such an important episode. I may not wish it on anyone, but I think everyone should see it, especially if they like, or want to like, FMA.
Shou Tucker couldn’t learn from his mistake because he never made a mistake in the first place. His first chimera, he got rid of a woman who wanted to leave him and passed his state alchemist certification so in his own eyes he killed 2 birds with one stone.
Exactly. The most evil person isn’t someone who is unaware of the harm they’re doing; it’s someone who knows exactly how much harm they stand to cause and choose to do it anyway.
Oh boy, time to watch Angela have an emotional breakdown from one of the saddest things ever.
Actually her name is funnylilgalreacts
Did you see her react to the last episodes of Battlestar Galactica? The death of Duala was especially painful, Angela actually turned to the camera off if I remember correctly.
ONE OF US! ONE OF US! Congratulations, you're now committed to the series. This is arguably the hardest episodes to get through and cements the tone for the series. You're going to get emotionally beat up a great deal. It will be worth it in the end though, promise.
But it will be a bad day for rain soon.
Episode 3 is about the extremes of religion.
Episode 4 is about the extremes of science.
Also, Shou Tucker is considered the most hated character in all anime history, no other existent villain could generate so much disgust and rage than him.
Griffith?
The twins in Black Lagoon?
@@martinlarsen7354I was about to say Griffith is also equally hated.
@@Heiryuu at least Griffith's death was satisfying. 🤷
Tucker, on the other hand...
Envy is worse.
Interesting how both episodes begin with Ed and Al repairing a radio.
It's interesting that you note that alchemy is more like science than magic because, it IS. Alchemy, the stuff that was done in the real world, is/was basically just, chemistry, but in medieval times. So yes, it IS rooted in science because it is a kind of science. They just take a biiit more of a fantastical approach here, but their alchemy is still rooted in science to some degree (Freezer using science to turn water into ice or steam, Mustang's flame alchemy has some chemical processes behind it, the whole 'not being able to make something from nothing')
If we look at the etymology in short. We have the Sanskrit word 'Kimaya'. Greek has the word 'Khemia'. Arabic got the word Al-Kimiya from where we got the middle English word Alchemy and later Chemistry.
In the words of Ian Malcolm, "You were so focused on asking if you could do it you never stopped to think if you should."
While it is important to teach children that they can do what they set their mind to, it is equally important to learn that science can do anything. Any discovery can be turned to destruction.
There is never a time when this episode doesn't hurt. The deep morality this show addresses and how it can deeply affect you emotionally so many times over is what makes it feel so special. Sometimes you will be horrified. Sometimes uplifted. It will take you through the whole gamut of human emotions and does such an amazing job tying every single thing together by the end.
You made it through the hardest part. You completed your FMAB right of passage.
The trauma of this episode is the official first base of watching anime.
"I don't even know what I'm humming along to" A banger, that's what
When people said this show will make you cry, they weren't lying
This show can definitely be very uplifting at times, but also very dark sometimes. This is one of if not the darkest though for sure, it's like they put this one really early just to test the watcher lol
I LITERALY, without thinking, covered my eyes when I saw the thumbnail.
If you thought last episode was a condemnation of religion then this episode would be a condemnation of science, or maybe it doesn't matter what you believe, maybe it's about using belief to justify harming others.
Yeah, as much as I'd take science over religion any day, it's so important to remember that anything can go bad when you take it too far.
@@gazzamanazza4pm 100% this. Fanaticism in any form can lead to very dark outcomes. I love that the moral is don't sacrifice your humanity for the sake of anything.
Ok, let me say THIS is the episode that I had warned you about in the comment section of episode 1. Clear your head, take a walk. Once past this you will be WELL rewarded from the rest of the anime. Little bit of history, this series came out in 2009. At 15 years ago willing to push a true dark episode in a "cartoon", turned off a lot of possible viewers. Anime viewers knew better that the demographic wasn't for kids or at least the culture behind anime. BTW, this is a very uplifting series - it is just a slow burn.
I remember watching this episode randomly on Toonami as a kid. It was so jarring that it took the days before I was able to get over it.
Same to be honest. I was at the mall later and telling my friend about the episode and burst into tears
I feel like FMAB over-foreshadows Tucker's villainy (good job picking up the most notorious stereotype in anime - the shiny glasses villain). FMA 2003 spaced the Tucker plotline out, giving you more time with the family and making the conclusion much more devastating. But, FMAB makes the Cornello/Tucker episodes back-to-back, which is important for the series thematically - it's not going to be just a "religion bad, yay science" kind of story.
FMA is better than FMAB is pretty much everything.
@@UhlbelkExcept every episode after 14 in FMAB
You have now been initiated. There are many trials still ahead, but this is the first.
In the manga, after Al stops Ed from punching Tucker, Al then threatens Tucker to keep quiet, or HE'LL punch him.
Tucker must have sh*t his pants after hearing that from our sweet li'l armor boy.
"Big brother Ed" I say that to any of my friends and it's an instant mood killer. Incredibly sad and tragic episode.
I have a tattoo of the chimera with the banner "Got that dog in me" on my arm. I love ruining people's day with it.
That’s fantastic.
That's pure evil 😈
You can see where her soul starts to break at 13:50. 😭 I remember the first time I watched this episode, I went into this anime completely blind, (as one should) and my friend who introduced me to it thought it a fitting turnaround for me introducing her to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (especially season 6, iykyk)
Man I sure hope there isn't any other depressing episodes in this show.
...
I think part of the slow burn of the episode afterward is thinking back on the fun and lighthearted scenes with Nina and Alexander as a way to forget the bad, but being reminded of Nina and Alexander's fate.
From the moment you started watching this show, this was the episode we were all nervous about for you. Collectively we were all thinking, “oh no… she’s not gonna be ok”. The good news is, plenty of the room on the “This show crushed my soul” bench. ❤
5:55 the short version is all alchemy has a cost, thus the equivalent exchange bit, then it breaks things down and remakes it in the shape of what you want. The stone is like a cheat code, it pays the cost associated so you don't have to have equivalent exchange in the equation and can get more from less/nothing.
What we have seen so far, the small stones (fake or whatever) appear to have a limit and when they break the remaining cost of a transmutation still has to come from somewhere, thus the rebound on Cornello for instance.
About all I can really say without spoilers, this is all they have said so far.
It's always so interesting seeing people react to this episode. The wide variety of people that pick up what's happening at different moments is cool!
I remember getting my dad to anime as he had watched some fma when it aired on tv. The dude was hooked on fma brotherhood and he still talks about this episode whenever he watches something awful happen in newer animes.
He is 60years old if anyone is interested
The glare on glasses hiding one's eyes is a common trope in anime often signifying ulterior motives if not outright malicious intent.
Welcome to the FMAB Trauma Club - enjoy your stay!
Welcome to our community, you've made it through one of the darkest and most iconic moments in the series, there is still much more to come
lol. not even watching this series of reactions but it showed the thumbnail to me and I was like, "oh, yeah, I have to watch when she sees.. that.."
I was both anticipating and dreading your watching this episode. It's pretty much universally agreed upon that this episode is the Rubicon/watershed-moment for prospective reactors~reviewers. If they can successfully navigate it (( i.e. get through it and not only 'keep it together' but also resolve to keep watching.... )) then they've crossed the proverbial Rubicon...
...Welcome to FMAB Family! We the most delicious quiches and apple 🥧 😋😅😀
Congratulations, you've made it past one of the most infamous moments in all of anime. A few years ago on social media, there was a picture from a coffee shop that was apparently run by an anime fan. They had a drawing board where they could list their menu. For their combo section, they drew a picture of Nina and Alexander on the side. It made me cackle in the best, darkest way... And to think, this is only Episode 4. You're going to go through a year's worth of tissues by the time you're done. Edit: And trust me when I say: This is _absolutely_ an uplifting show. The greatest rises have to come from the darkest depths...
It's interesting how quickly you clicked that he used a human for the chimera, also this is one of the most difficult episode to get through both in the original and brotherhood.
Incidentally, in the manga, there are funny little gag comics at the end of each issue, including an 'In Memoriam' section showing all the characters who died that volume flying up to the sky. Shou Tucker is the only character shown in Hell, and considering some of the other villains we see, that is saying something.
keeping up the small touches lost from manga: in the manga, after Al saves Tucker from being killed by Ed, when Tucker starts gloating again, Al warns him that if he doesn't shut up, next time it will be not Ed but Al he has to worry about.
I just saw the thumbnail triggering what episode this was and immediately reacted with "OH NO". 😅
This is the episode that made Ed learn from his past ways, he was going down the Tucker path but this made him deter.
I feel like I have to say this cuz I haven't seen the comment but at the end after scar kills shou Tucker, he doesn't say in the manga" two human souls" he says Two Souls have been returned to you because it actually shows Nina and Alexander going up to heaven and shou Tucker being dragged down to Hell by many different arms
Welcome to FMAB you have now passed through the Trauma intro, you're in for a ride, strap in and enjoy the ride.
14:01 That’s it. That’s exactly how we all felt during our first time. It still hurts.
The episode that makes everyone go, "Oh THIS is where this is all going."
I can't recall if in the manga, Skarr said if two human souls will go to heaven but rather two souls will go to heaven referring to Nina and Alexander, and not the dad.
A chimera by its real life definition is "An organism, organ, or part consisting of two or more tissues of different genetic composition, produced as a result of organ transplant, grafting, or genetic engineering." The traditional mythological chimera is a monster that is made up of different animals, sometimes with multiple heads, sometimes with different head/body/tail. Commonly it's lion, goat, and serpent.
As for how many people saw it coming, I think it's a lot more heavily foreshadowed in Brotherhood than in the 2003 anime, but also this was condensed to a single episode where the 2003 version was spread across 3-4 episodes, so it was a much slower reveal. I think most people who didn't watch the 2003 one knew something was up and are able to piece it together. Those that did watch it already knew it was coming, which is why I think they shortened it instead of drawing it out like in the earlier.
The good news is that this is as dark as the show gets, at least at such a personal level, so if you can make it through this, you can make it through the rest. There's plenty of other dark moments, don't get me wrong, but in terms of making the viewer feel extremely uncomfortable, this is as dark as it gets.
I don't even watch FMA, but I know this episode and what goes down purely through memes, lol. The second I saw that thumbnail I was like "Oh god, this sweet lady's gonna be messed up for the rest of the week."
Not so fun fact, in the "original" anime we know them for multiple episodes around maybe 3? So more time with them and it's a slower burn. So the gut punch is a little more harsher.
Nailed it with the imperfect diamond metaphor
You are now trauma bonded to everyone else who has seen this episode welcome to the family 👍❤️
imo you can't really say you've started watching FMA or FMA Brotherhood until you get to this episode in either. The first of many "milestone" episodes.
this is the episode I always remember when people say anime is for kids when they find out I like anime.
Dude with the X scar across his face always reminds me of Racer X = Speed Racers Older Brother. But his episode hit me hard just as it did you and many others and we all sought the same Justice that X delivered.
Episode 3 and 4 are two episodes that really hammer home what the extremes of science and faith can do and how they are really two sides of the same coin.
While FMAB honors the manga closely at least for this episode and the Lior episodes pack a bigger punch in the 03 FMA show as you spend more time focused on the people of Lior and how the priest exploits their faith and on how people like Tucker go to extremes in the name of science.
There's anime out there that is definitely not for children like Akira, Paprika, Grave of the Fireflies or Ghost in the Shell, among many others.
I hope more people would know that, cause there are amazing stories in anime format that many people completely miss cause they assume it's all for kids.
Luckily now you know that anime can be as joyful or traumatizing as live action stuff can be :D
FMAB 4 always hits hard. Never stops hurting. {{{{HUG}}}}
FYI, Angela, whenever an anime character has the shiny reflection on their glasses, it's a sign that they are up to no good. It's a common anime trope, so you are right on the money. :)
In the manga the creator would draw everyone in heaven but Tucker in hell lol
Im so excited for her to get hooked ! one of the best shows when it gets cookin
Haven't seen the video yet. Saw the title and thumbnail and said out loud "...Oh no..."
A general rule in anime. If the eyes are big, the character is generally innocent. If the eyes are narrow, the character is generally more experienced and morally grey. If the eyes are shut or always obscured, the character is generally a villain. This is not an absolute rule, but it is more often than not correct.
The first time I read the manga (comic book) version of this episode, I was about 13 years old. It definitely haunted me. This never fails to make me cry.
I know firsthand how rough this episode is, and I am sorry you had to go through that.
Glad you are taking this journey though!
Having watched this series multiple times, and having seen many of your reactions, I was concerned this episode might just break you. This is definitely an emotional episode.
This episode is even more devastating than I remember. Glad to see Armstrong though.
This episode is great, but there is one thing I always wished they kept from the manga. After Al stops Ed from beating Tucker, Tucker starts to say something. Al then snaps back to the effect of, “One more word out of you, and *I’LL* be the one to shut you up!”
It’s one thing to see Ed get pissed off and go off on Tucker. But to see that Al, the sweeter, more innocent and level headed younger brother, was barely containing his own rage, is really powerful.
Oh gosh I saw the thumbnail and my heart sank
0:00 I didn't watch much of Brotherhood, but I watched all of the previous series. As soon as I saw the dog in the thumbnail I knew what this was going to be.
I recommend researching the history of alchemy and how FMAB used historical influences, its deep world building and some great connections, Von Hohenhiem comes from the real Alchemist Philipus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus Von Hohenhiem who introduced the concept of Humunculus and is known as the Father of Toxicology
Oh this is the big one. I've had so many debates about why Tucker did what he did. All of them paint him as a coward and a liar who couldn't even change as a scientist let alone an alchemist.
me, realizing which video she's about to watch: "Oh. Oh no."
This episode is the most complete definition of what a Monster is. Also a perfect use of word-smithing for his name- Shou Tucker (Shallow & Shrouded - Tucked Away … in hiding) 🤔
You are truly sharp, you even deduced the chimera might have been made using a human before the whole deal with Nina and Alexander 😢
There’s a video out there of a comic con where someone traumatized most of the people there by cosplaying the Nina-Alexander chimera.
I just watched 3 other reaction channels go through this entire series. I must say...I think at a certain point, you need to do multiple episodes. Otherwise, you're going to just be left on a LOT of cliff hangers. Excited to go on this journey for a 4th time this month though! lol. Enjoy!
Some rough translation suggests that it was an "imperfect philosopher stone" it has power, but its less than a fraction of what the actual thing can do.
On my end i watched the older anime that ended off with the movie "Star of Milos" and this episode was a 2 parter. Part of the reason for that was that they kind of had to do filler content so they didnt outpace the manga series that was unfinished at the time - they caught up anyway and ended up doing things completely differently but thats a story for another day.
Back then this was a gut punch doubled. Shau wasnt really shown as evil or shady nearly as much as here, so it came as a shock, even with the foreshadowing of his wife and the previous chimera.
Welcome to the FMA fandom. We’re all crying with you.
You know, there aren't many things more special than the bond between a human and their dog, don't you think?
I mean, look at these two! You could say that they're inseparable!
YOU DID NOT! Omg I'm going to hell for laughing at this
@@Juuri_ Every time I see a joke like this I take psychic damage, the least I can do is continue the tradition.
A top iconic staple in anime history.
I need yor reactions of 2 episodes in a row. I cannot wait for you to react to the next episode of FMAB 😭. I love how geniuine you are with all your reactions
This show has the uplifting elements to it, but unlike others it makes you work for them. Like Battlestar Galactica the misery and darkness the show explores makes those triumphant moments all the sweeter
Your initiation into the fma family is complete.
I dont care if i have work in the morning. This needs to be watched now
Finally, the scene that we all want to, and at the same time, don't want to, watch you react to! It's a heartbreaker!😭
Watching the wallpaper slowly peel away until you realize what this guy does is really fun to watch. But also so, so sad. Because there are few characters in anime that would do something so utterly wicked.
In the first FMA Anime, an entire end credits was dedicated to nina and alexander
In the manga, a panel shows nina going to heaven and Shou was sinking in hell
PS: the actor who played live action Scar is the same actor that played Live action Zoro of One Piece
Oooohh yeah I’ve been waiting for her reaction to this episode. Got my snacks and tea ready
You have passed the threshold!!
the most anticipated episode
I think in Anime when you can't see through a character's glasses, it's like a bald head on a a guy in a superhero movie. If he's not evil he's a red herring...
Originally, 'Chimera' referred to a particular monster from Greek mythology that was a lion with a goat's head growing out of its back or shoulders and a snake for a tail. Variants of the Chimera would be used as monsters through games of the ages, from D&D to Final Fantasy. There are many Chimera-like similar monsters from Greek and other myths, such as the griffin (Lion's body, eagle's head and wings), Manticore (Lion body--yes, the Greeks loved starting with a lion body--man's face, and scorpion's tail), and Japan even has myths about similar creatures like the Nue (noo-ay), an ape with a snake for a tail.
later years have seen 'Chimera' become a blanket term for all creatures of this sort that are a mix of two or more other creatures in fantasy settings. Hiromu Arakawa, herself a fan of fantasy games and stories, took it for use with these creatures created with alchemy as we naturally have no other real words in our language for such extreme hybrid creations
First thumbnail I utterly reacted with "oh God" 😂
This is one of the two most emotionally devastating episodes in the whole anime. We will get to the second one soon enough. 😭